Three is the magic number. I don't actually know why, but my 3rd week in ISM has been pretty magical, so I'm inclined to continue believing this urban theory. We are still preparing for Business Symposium (a meeting of professionals and students in which mock interviews and hand-shaking will ensue), and we are also gearing up for research interviews.
Here are three things I've learned this week:
1) Phone calls may be the most awkward thing ever invented. Throw in professional phone calls, and you have a potential recipe for disaster. However, it is possible to circumnavigate this awkwardness by practicing and keeping your cool. Practice until you are accustomed to the disembodied sound of your own voice, practice until you can hold a fluid and witty conversation, practice until you feel confident.
2) I can make my own golden ticket. In other words, writing a great resume is the key to impressing my audience. As a Marketing/Advertising student, I like to treat my resumes as small marketing campaigns. Determine the target audience, exploit their desires/fears, and then create it with strategy and style.
3) Marketing is a Nebula. This is not a new idea (as evidenced by the title of this blog). From nebulae come stars. Marketing has that same potential, to create a star out of a product. However, nebulae are also very foggy and undefined. As I've been researching Marketing strategies this past week, I've come to truly appreciate how open-ended and undefined this field is. There are no definite answers. To some, that may be frustrating, but to me, it is an opportunity to create something original. It is a little vexing to not find straight answers, but thankfully I have found that most Marketing strategies have the same basic premises, but different methods of achieving the ultimate goal of reaching the target market.
In ancient Chinese scripture, the three treasures of the universe are the sky, the earth, and man. In my ISM journey, I aim to move both earth and sky to achieve the ultimate marketing endgame: moving man.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau
